Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-10
THE BALD KNOBBERS.
Walker and His COnfederateS Transferred
to the Greene County Jail.

OZARK, Mo-, Nov. 9.-The county court
has been in session today and the removal
of the Bald Knob prisoners to the Spring
field Jail furnished an interesting topic of
discussion for the crowd assembled about
the court house. Few people in the county
had heard of the mysterious transfer OF
Walker and his six confederatts to the
Greene county Jail till they came to town
this morning, and the affair excited the
most lively interest among the court visit
ors. Sheriff Johnson has been interviewed
by scores of his rural constituents today,
who were eager to know if any plot to res
cue the prisoners had really been discover
ed, and Tor what reason the chief actors in
in the Edens-Green massacre We're removed
from the vicinity of their late regulating
allies.
Becoming eXasperated by the sensational
rumorS about the cause of the transfer of
the prisoners, the sheriff finally abandoned
his reticent policy and declared that fear
of the release of the prisoners had nothing
to do with their removal to Springfield.
To the GIObe-Democrat correspondent Mr..
Johnson said today:
Il have had fears of an attempted rescue
of the Bold knObbers. but that dread had
given way 30 perfect security before the
removal OF Walker and his men to Spring
field. / would have resigned my office be
fore allowing the Bald knobbers to be
taken out of my charge for safe-keeping.
If Christian county could not keep her
own prisoners in spite OF all rumors OF
rescue movements, would not want TO be
sheriff. When the danger seemed greatest,
all ever tried to do was to keep myself as
well posted as possible in regard to the
rumored trouble and be prepared for the
crisis should il come No, the ,Sprngfield
81 = H.
that plot to rescue the knObberS was
nipped in the bud by removing the prison
ers to Green county. | had heard of no re-
cent mysterious movements in this, Doug
las and fancy counties, and should not
have run the prisoners away if such rumOrs
had come to my ears. The Bald knobbcr5
were taken to Springfield for other reasons
than a fear of an attempted rescue move
ment on the part OF their friends. This is
all ! will say"
The prosecuting attorney viii refuse to
assign any motive for the removal of the
prisoners. but talks freely about the law
governing the application for writ OF
habeas corpus. Mr. Watson said ne would
give purely hypothetical case, which he
did not want construed as an explanation
of the late action in moving the
Bald Robbers to Springfield. If
the prisoners were confined in
the Ozark Jail, the circuit judge not be-
ing a resident of Christian county, they
be taken before the probate judge or any
member of the county court on a writ of
habeas corpus and admitted to bail. While
confined in the Springfield Jail an applica-
ton for writ Of haheas corpus must first
he made to Judge Hubbard, Of the circuit
court. This is undoubtedly the reason
why the prisoners were so suddenly taken
to Springfield. The Bald-knob attorneys
were contemplating a movement to re-
lease some of their clients on bail, and
would apply III few days to the probate
judge, or some member of the county
court. for a writ Of habeas corpus
for that purpose. The action Of the authOri-
ties in leaving Parson Simmons in the
Ozark Jail has strengthened the belief here
that the Bald knobber preacher is 10 re
ceive the clemency of the state and become
a witness against its associates in the com
ing trials